Challenges
by MakinTheMostOfLife
Summary: Clewis Emmash Rane/Zikki A challenge set on the H20 forum. A burglary at the JuiceNet occurs just as Emma's horseriding takes a nasty fall. Pressure builds up on Rikki to help the other girls pull through their accidents. Rated T, mainly for the 1st chaps
1. prologue

"What is it

**This was a challenge set by Boris Yeltsin. Hope you enjoy it and please review!! The first part is just to set it up mainly. Sorry if its boring ******

"What is it?" Cleo asked, gazing down at the orange star shape Lewis was examining on the shoreline. A large wave began to build and she took several steps back. Lewis didn't notice.

"It's a common starfish, Cleo," He told her in his 'superior-smarty-pants-I'm-a-brilliant-scientist' voice. He suddenly gave a surprised yelp as the wave crashed down on him.

Cleo bit her lip and giggled as Lewis stood up and shook himself like a dog, squealing as she dodged droplets of water heading her way. He stopped moving and glared at her.

"You knew that was going to happen, didn't you?" He said, accusingly. She merely shrugged and giggled again.

"Maaaybe..." She grinned teasing out the word, before running away shrieking as Lewis ran at her.

XXX

"Keep your back straight, Emma," Ash warned her gently, as they started to descend a steep hill.

"Yes, Ash," Emma muttered, rolling her eyes. She couldn't help but grin though; he was paying more attention to her riding than Elliot's, and it was his lesson! It was...flattering, in a way.

She twisted round and grinned at Elliot, who was riding immediately behind her. He returned her smile, looking excited, and she faced forward again, smiling.

XXX

Rikki came to a stop outside her caravan, and turned to face Zane. "This is me. Do you want to come in?"

"You're actually inviting me in?" He asked, with mock amazement, earning him a slap on the arm. "Nah, got to meet my dad, help him with a bit of work and all that,"

"Sure? Ok, then. Um, bye..." She began to walk up the steps when Zane grabbed her hand.

"I think you're forgetting something," he told her, and she reached down and gently kissed him, leaving him with a small smile lingering on his lips as she went inside her home.

XXX

Nothing is ever so good that it lasts forever. So, while the girls were enjoying their mornings with the boys, sinister threats were about to break free and turn their world upside down...

**Helloooooo, and if you are reading this please review!! Sorry about the Lemony Snicket bit at the end, I just finished reading the Ersatz Elevator, so there you go, lol!!**


	2. Knocked Down

Cleo laced her fingers through Lewis' and swung their clasped hands as they walked along the path

**Hey, thanks for all the reviews, they mean loads to me!!**

Cleo laced her fingers through Lewis' and swung their clasped hands as they walked along the path. He looked slightly embarrassed for a moment, but soon was smiling and laughing as she talked to him about Emma and Rikki's latest spat. They passed several people with large picnic baskets heading for the beach.

"We should do that," Lewis said, pointing to a family clustered on a small blanket under a tree, all chewing on food. "Have a picnic, I mean,"

"Yeah, that'd be- Woah!" Cleo was suddenly knocked to the ground by a tall, yet very, very wide man. He was dressed all in black, with a dark hat pulled over his head. Yellow wisps of hair stuck out from underneath it.

She stared up at him, half-scared and half-indignant for being knocked over. The man gave a sort of snort/smirk/grimace and ran off in the way he had just come. As Cleo watched his retreating back, Lewis pulled her up, and hugged her.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, concerned.

"Yeah...Just took me by surprise, that's all..." Cleo muttered. She shook her head as if wanting to clear it of all the confusing thoughts which had ran through her mind as she looked up at him.

But, even as they continued walking, and started talking about something else, one thought stayed in Cleo's head.

That's not the last we see of him.

XXX

Emma dumped her saddle into Ash's outstretched arms. "Thanks for the lesson, Ash," she smiled at him. "Elliot had a really good time,"

Ash leaned forward to talk to her quietly. "What about you? Did you have a good time?"

"It was...OK," she told him, pausing to make it see like she had to search her mind for the right word. "And there's no point flirting with me, I'm already your girlfriend. Even if you are the world's bossiest horse instructor."

Elliot wandered over to them from where he had been stroking his horse, just in time to hear Ash say, very indignantly (**a/n I just realised I've written that word twice in this chapter...o well it can be my word of the day!!) **"I am not bossy!" he turned to Elliot. "Tell her I'm not bossy!"

Emma stifled her giggles. "C'mon Elliot, mum wants us home soon," she kissed Ash on the cheek. "See you later,"

"Ew," Elliot muttered.

"And Emma?" Ash called as they reached the doorway. Emma turned round to face him. "Make sure you don't steer your horse to near to the cliff next time. The fall could put you both in a coma."

"I'm sure you'd rescue me," Emma smiled at him and he kissed her.

"Ewww!" Elliot grabbed Emma's hand and begun tugging her out of the door. "Ew, ew, ew! C'mon, c'mon!!"

XXX

"Ladies first," Lewis said, holding back the beaded curtain so Cleo could enter the JuiceNet café. She smiled at him, and stepped past him, slipping her hand subtly into his as she passed.

Cleo walked in, then retraced her steps and walked back out again.

Lewis raised her eyebrows at her.

"He's in there," Cleo told him, looking worried.

"Erm...who?"

"That guy, the one who knocked me down. He scares me, Lewis," Cleo whispered the last part as though she was ashamed of admitting it.

"Don't be daft, Cleo," he stepped into the JuiceNet and pulled her in after him. "Everything's fine!"

A loud gunshot echoed though the air as a bullet narrowly missed hitting Lewis. Cleo screamed.


	3. Gunshot

Sorry I haven't updated

**Sorry I haven't updated...writers block.**

"Lewis?" Emma said calmly into her mobile. "Breathe."

She paused for a few seconds allowing Lewis to take a breath. "Now what's wrong?"

Rikki flicked idly through a magazine, watching her friend while she lay slouched on Emma's bed. She gave a start and rolled off as two seconds later, Emma let out a shriek.

"What?" She gasped as she pulled herself up and flicked her hair out of her face. Emma was pale and her hand was shaking as she flipped her phone shut.

"Cleo's been..." Emma wiped her eyes as tears started to leak out onto her cheeks. "Cleo's been shot,"

XXX

There was a small group of customers and staff huddled in the corner of the JuiceNet, most of them looking terrified. Ash was stood at the front, watching the two men take the money warily.

Cleo was holding onto Lewis' arm, her fear showing freely in her face. Lewis kept starting to talk, only to be silenced again by one of the men.

"But, really, you-" he began, ignoring Cleo tightening her grip on his arm as a warning.

"Right, kid," The blonde man dumped his sack on the floor and raised the gun. "You've annoyed us for the last time,"

There was a bang and suddenly Cleo was in front of Lewis. Lewis stared at her in horror for a moment, before catching her as she began to fall. The two men ran out hurriedly.

Cleo was smiling weakly. "Why do you never shut up?" she whispered, her face contorted with pain.

"Why do you always have to do the right thing?" he retorted, trying desperately to ignore the red stain spreading over her purple top. Cleo laughed then twisted as the pain hit.

Lewis turned to see Ash running over. He pulled his mobile out of his pocket and handed it to Lewis. "Ring the police. And an ambulance. And Emma. And Rikki. And her parents. Now!" he added as Lewis stared dumbly at him.

He stood up, took the phone and began dialling. Ash knelt down next to Cleo. Her face was pale, almost white.

"Hey Cleo," he said, smiling at her. "You're gonna be ok, alright? We've got someone coming to help you-"

"I'm not three, Ash," Cleo murmured before her eyes closed and she stopped moving.

**Durn durn duuuuuurn!! **


	4. Falling

Next part xxx

**Next part xxx**

"Wow. Mermaid-yness regeneration healing powers," Lewis nodded in appreciation and grinned at Cleo.

"In English, please, Lewis," she smiled gently back and sat up slightly on the hospital bed, supporting herself on her good arm. She'd lost a lot of blood from the wound in her left shoulder, but, being Cleo, she was just happy to be alive. Plus it was fun being able to tease her friends for once and knowing that they wouldn't do anything back to her because of her position.

"You heal faster than most people," Lewis explained. Cleo groaned at him.

"No, I'm just incredibly lucky that the...bullet hit my shoulder and not my heart. You read too much sci-fi," she complained.

"Well, I had to do _something_ in the waiting room," Lewis teased her. "I'm just glad you're alright," he added, his tone softening. "I don't know what I'd do without you,"

"Um...you'd get off with Charlotte?" Cleo asked, fluttering her eyelashes innocently.

"Cleo, we've been over this, I never loved Charlotte, she was just a friend who got the wrong idea and I liked you the whole time, ok?" and he leaned in to kiss her. Cleo put her hand over his mouth when he was inches away.

"It was a joke, Lewis," she grinned. "But you can kiss me anyway,"

"CLEOOOOOOOOO!" There was a bang as the doors to Cleo's ward were sent flying open and Rikki, followed rather hesitantly by Emma, came running in. "We're here!!" she yelled.

Lewis made a 'why-does-she-enjoy-interrupting-us-when-we're-about-to-kiss' face. Cleo shrugged apologetically. "Yes you are," she nodded to Rikki and Emma.

"Just before the nick of time..." Lewis muttered under his breath, only to be elbowed in the ribs by Cleo.

"And we have chocolate!!" Emma added as she brought a huge bar of Dairy Milk from behind her back.

Cleo rolled her eyes. "Of course you do..." she shifted her position so she was facing the girls.

"Uh Lewis?" Rikki said slowly.

"Hmm?"

"Bye!"

"Whaa-?"

"It's time for a girl talk," Rikki told him seriously.

"Guys, Cleo is my girlfriend, I want to spend time with her too," Lewis moaned, trying to guilt trip in a way that had ceased having effect on Emma months ago and never had an effect on Rikki in the first place.

"Well, you just had a whole...five minutes with her..." Rikki stopped and looked at her watch again. "Huh, it felt a lot longer to me..."

"It would," Emma smirked. "So yeah...bye Lewis," she gave a wave then pushed him out the door, ignoring his protests.

Cleo laughed as her two best friends sat on either side of her bed.

"So how're you feeling?" Emma asked, concerned.

"Close to hysterical!" Cleo giggled, then stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong?" Rikki asked, instantly alarmed.

"You have chocolate and it's not in my mouth," Cleo said calmly, before they all burst out laughing again.

XXX

"I've gotta leave the lesson early today Ash," Emma swung herself into the saddle with expert grace. "Cleo's getting out of hospital at three and me and Rikki are gonna surprise Lewis with her. He doesn't know yet," She grinned excitedly at the prospect, making Ash laugh.

"Em, you've only told me fifty times, I'm surprised Lewis hasn't heard you blabbing to everyone about it!" He helped Elliot onto his horse then leapt onto his own mount. "Let's go,"

Fifteen minutes later, they were on the track around the cliffs, breathing in the salty air that wafted up from the beach.

"Loosen your reins, Elliot!" Emma heard Ash call, and then smiled at Elliot's reply of "Yessir!"

Caught up in her own dream world, Emma didn't realise she had no idea where she was until she found herself at the very edge of a cliff. Being capable, sensible Emma, she only gave a small scream, before gaining control and urging her horse, Misty, away from the sheer drop.

"Ash? Elliot?" she shouted, only to hear her own voice ring back at her. Pushing her hair out of her face, Emma gazed around her; she was at the edge of a semi-circle shaped cliff, which peered down to a secluded corner of a beach, totally void of life.

Emma took a deep breath and began to scan for anyone who could help her, when Misty gave a start, bucking and almost throwing her rider out of the saddle. Emma, startled, saw that the reason for the horse's distress was because of a grass snake slithering towards them through the dead bracken.

Emma rubbed Misty's neck gently, murmuring to her softly, but the horse took no notice and bolted, and then Emma was falling, down, down, down...


End file.
